National Spouses Day: A Blessing I’ll Never Take for Granted

Today is National Spouses Day—a day set aside to pause, reflect, and give thanks for the person who walks beside us through life. It’s not a day about grand gestures or social media perfection. It’s a day about gratitude. About recognizing the quiet faithfulness, shared burdens, laughter, tears, and commitment that define a marriage over time.

Scripture reminds us plainly and powerfully:

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” — Proverbs 18:22

That verse doesn’t say finds a perfect wife or finds an easy marriage. It says finds a good thing. A gift. A blessing. A favor from God Himself.

Marriage as a Gift, Not an Accessory

So often, culture treats marriage as an accessory to happiness—something that serves us as long as it feels good. Scripture teaches the opposite. Marriage is a sacred gift designed by God, not merely for companionship, but for growth, refinement, and shared purpose.

Ecclesiastes tells us:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9–10

That verse doesn’t describe romance—it describes reality. It speaks to the moments when one spouse is strong and the other is tired. When one carries faith while the other struggles. When life knocks you down and someone is there to help you back up.

A Marriage Shaped by Real Life

Sheree and I didn’t enter marriage with a flawless plan. We married young—18 and 20. We navigated military life, financial strain, seasons of emotional distance, and moments when walking away would have been easier than leaning in. We’ve shared joys and grief, laughter and hardship, sickness and healing.

Like I’ve written about before, love didn’t always feel easy—but it was always a choice.

Love, as Scripture defines it, is action:

“Love is patient and kind… it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4,7

Those words aren’t poetic ideals—they’re daily decisions. They show up in forgiveness after arguments, in choosing grace when frustration is loud, and in staying committed when life doesn’t look like the picture you once imagined.

A Spouse as a Partner in Sanctification

One of the most overlooked blessings of marriage is this: God uses our spouse to shape us.

Ephesians reminds husbands:

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” — Ephesians 5:25

That kind of love is sacrificial. It’s not about convenience—it’s about commitment. It calls us higher. It exposes our selfishness. It teaches us humility. And over time, it transforms us.

Many pastors and biblical teachers have echoed this truth: marriage is one of God’s primary tools for sanctification. Not because it’s easy—but because it’s holy.

Thirty Years With My Best Friend

Today, on National Spouses Day, I don’t just celebrate marriage as a concept—I celebrate my spouse. I am deeply blessed to share life with my best friend. For 30 years, Sheree has walked beside me—faithfully, patiently, lovingly. She has prayed for me, believed in me, challenged me, laughed with me, and loved me through every season.

Our marriage isn’t perfect—but it is rooted. Rooted in faith. Rooted in commitment. Rooted in a shared understanding that love is something we do, not just something we feel. As I look back with gratitude, I also look forward with hope. God has been faithful through three decades, and I trust Him for many, many more.

Today, I thank God for my spouse—His good gift, His favor, and my lifelong companion.

A Prayer for Spouses

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of marriage and for the spouse You have placed in our lives. Thank You for the blessing of companionship, for shared laughter, shared burdens, and shared faith. Help us never take our spouse for granted, even in the ordinary moments.

Teach us to love with patience and humility, to forgive quickly, and to speak words that build rather than tear down. When marriage feels heavy, remind us that You are present. When joy is abundant, help us to give You praise. Shape our hearts to love as You love—sacrificially, faithfully, and without condition.

Strengthen husbands and wives today. Restore where there is weariness, heal where there is hurt, and renew commitment where hope feels thin. May our marriages reflect Your grace and point others back to You.

We thank You for the blessing of our spouse and entrust our marriages to You, today and always.

Amen.